Global virus puts Hughes’ party on hold
BRIAN HUGHES has confessed reaching the pinnacle of his career can’t kick in until coronavirus is kicked out.
Racing’s shutdown will see the 34-year-old become the first northern-based rider to win the jump jockey’s title in four decades since Jonjo O’Neill surged to the prize in 1980.
Hughes’ high volume of wins at his cherished Scottish venues such as Ayr, Kelso and Musselburgh were key as he rocketed 19 winners ahead of defending champion Richard Johnson just prior to the game’s closure to secure the accolade.
Racing has skeleton plans in place to return on May 1 but with the jumps title race due to conclude on April 25, the Northern Irishman will be crowned champ even though the BHA are yet to confirm.
Hughes though admits it is impossible to celebrate. As the global health pandemic takes a grip of the planet he’s got more on his plate to worry about than a title triumph.
He said: “Everyone says,
BY CRAIG SWAN ‘You are champion jockey’ but the way things are going on it’s hard to sink in or take in.
“I don’t feel any different, really, it’s just hard to take in because we were racing flat out and then one day we’re told that’s it, the season is suspended until the end of April.
“You walked away from the racing and obviously everyone is on lockdown now so you don’t see anyone or anything like that.
“Looking back it’s probably something in a few years I will be very proud of doing. I probably wouldn’t appreciate how significant it is at the minute.
“When I can see my name in print there, with a lot better riders than me, AP McCoy and Mr Johnson, it’s very flattering.
“I’m not saying I will ever be as successful as either one of them but your name is on the trophy anyway. I tried to not let myself believe it could be possible.
“A couple of days can be a long time in a jump jockey’s life. One minute you can be riding on the crest of a wave and the next you are in the back of an ambulance so I didn’t let it sink.
“If I’d been passed in the final month I might have found that difficult to get over but getting to 100 winners before Christmas was a nice achievement and then you are looking to keep the winners coming.
“Unfortunately for Richard he picked up an injury when we were neck and neck so I got a break on him and then he didn’t really get the chance to make much inroads, then we stopped.
“I was quite pleased with the way it (season) all went in the circumstances.”